Compare towns
Augusta vs Mapleton vs Presque Isle vs Sidney
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Augusta has the most renters (46.2% rent).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Presque Isle has the most affordable homes ($147k median).
Sidney has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.4%).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Augusta | Mapleton | Presque Isle | Sidney |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 19,077Highest |
1,884Lowest |
8,736 |
4,790 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.2% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-9.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.5±2.4 5% below ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
44.1±3.5Highest about the ME average |
43±5.5 4% below ME |
| Presque Isle and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.9%±2.6 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
18%±3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.1%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Sidney and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.5%±2.6 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.6%±3.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Presque Isle and Augusta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.9% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
26.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
33.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±1.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Presque Isle and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $47,979±$3kLowest 36% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$55,768±$6k 25% below ME |
$83,488±$10k 12% above ME |
| Mapleton and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $201,000±$18k 32% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$147,200±$11kLowest 50% below ME |
$336,200±$34kHighest 13% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $919±$79 19% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$904±$54 21% below ME |
$1,340±$304Highest 18% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,465 19% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$2,401 21% below ME |
$2,474Highest 19% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±8.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
47.3%±9.7 ME: 48.4% |
16.4%±17.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Augusta and Presque Isle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 18.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
15.5% ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
57.8% ME: 74.3% |
89.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965Lowest 12 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1971 6 yrs older than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 24% below ME |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
14 minLowest 41% below ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 15.1%±3.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
6.7%±3.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
14.3%±5.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Augusta and Sidney are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #119 of 133 in ME | — | #62 of 133 in ME | #15 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 18 |
| High school in town | Cony | None in town | Presque Isle High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 17.9Highest |
— | 13.7Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
ME average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.